TWENTY MINUTES LATER, I stopped in the hall to listen. Around the corner and a short distance away out of view, Wicks must’ve been standing with Judge Connors talking in front of the double doors of the courtroom. Connors said, “You wound Bruno up like some kind of toy soldier. Now you’re going to turn him loose? Don’t you think that’s a little dangerous, not to mention unfair to Bruno?”
“Putting Bruno on the case will only be unfair for that asshole Louis Borkow. Borkow’s the one who called the game, not me. Think about it. If he kills someone while he’s out, there’s going to be hell to pay. The county will be on the hook for huge checks with lots of zeros going to the all the victims’ families. Not to mention the black eye it’s going to give the department. No, Bruno is absolutely our best chance of grabbing this guy quick. So I have no problem as you say ‘winding him up like a toy soldier.’ The department knows what’s at stake; they’ll take care of him.”
“To a certain point,” Connors said.
“To a certain point, that’s right.”
“That tape proves Borkow used Bruno as a diversion so he could get out of my courtroom and sent back to the jail early. Don’t you feel the least bit concerned that you’re doing the same thing? You’re using him like some kind of tool. He’s your friend.”
I stayed around the corner out of view, listening as I eased the body armor over my head and strapped it on. I shrugged into my khaki colored shirt with Karl embroidered over the breast and the trucking emblem on the other. How was I going to explain this to Olivia?
I stopped dressing to listen for Wicks’ answer and held my breath. I thought I knew what he’d say. When you worked together as long as we had, you could finish each other’s sentences. But it had been two years since we had worked together, and people change.
Wicks’ tone turned more serious, with a hint of anger. “You know as well as I do Bruno is a wasted asset sitting in there behind a desk. This jailbreak is the best thing that could have happened for him. So don’t try and lay this off on me. I wasn’t the asshole who used Bruno’s daughter as a pawn. I wasn’t the asshole who organized the biggest escape in the history of this county.”
“No, but you are the asshole who played the tape for him.”
“You know, you keep talking your trash, Your Honor, and I’m going to have to change my opinion of you.”
“That right?”
“That’s right.”
I hurried around the corner, arranging my guns under my shirt in my waistband. “Hey,” I said to get their attention and to disrupt the escalating conversation. “You guys ready to go?”
They both turned to look at me coming their way.
Presiding Judge James D. Hockney, Judge Connors’ boss, approached from the opposite end of the hallway. He came up on Wicks and Connors the same time I did. “What’s going on here?” he asked.
Connors said, “I think you heard. I had to declare a mistrial due to the escape.”
“Yes, I’m aware. And?”
Connors said, “Lieutenant Wicks has conscripted my bailiff to assist in the manhunt.”
“I have no problem with Deputy Johnson being utilized for this purpose,” Hockney said. “I just want to be sure you know your place. After yesterday’s little escapade, you tarnished a near perfect reputation and put this court’s integrity in question. In other words, Phil, you gave us a black eye. I came down here to be sure there wouldn’t be a second lapse in your judgment.”
Wicks said, “It’s okay. I called and got clearance with my department. Judge Connors’ Reserve Deputy status has been reinstated. He will be acting under the color of authority.”
“Phil, you’re not going. I won’t entertain another word about it.” Hockney walked off.
Connors muttered under his breath, “That pompous little pissant. How the hell did he find out?”
Wicks shook his head. “That’s too bad, Your Honor. I was really looking forward to having you along. I was going to show you how real police work gets done.”
Wicks said it with a neutral expression, but I caught that twinkle in his eye that said otherwise.
“I’m sorry, too, Your Honor.” I turned to Wicks. “Come on, let’s get going.”
We walked off. Behind us Judge Connors said, “Bruno, call me with any updates, would you please?”
I didn’t turn around. I just raised my arm in the air to acknowledge his pitiful request.
Wicks said in a half-whisper, “You call him, I’ll take a big bite out of your ass, you hear me?”
“Yeah, I figured it would be something like that.”
We stepped into the elevator as the doors opened. Two gang members dressed in their gang garb—baggy denim pants, blue bandannas, and white tee shirts—started to get on with us. Wicks squeezed in between them and put up his hand. “Sorry, fellas, this car is occupied. Take the next one.”
The bigger one said, “Hey. Hey. What the—”
The smarter one grabbed his friend by the arm and pulled him back out. “Jus’ shut yo’ hole and get outta their way.”
Wicks shot them a grin and pushed the button for the lobby. The doors closed and we started down. “Don’t look at me like that, Bruno. What, you wanted a member of the court looking over our shoulders while we chase some of the baddest assholes we’ve ever gone after?”
“How did the presiding judge happen to come sauntering down the main hall just at the right moment? How come you two were conveniently waiting in the hall? Judge Connors never goes out in that hall. He always uses the back one. And Hockney used the words black eye, just like you did not minutes ago.”
Wicks shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” A smile crept across his face.
I liked Connors a great deal and respected him, but he had no business out on the street. He had fired an unwarranted warning shot into the ceiling of a rock house.
Wicks was right about that part. I couldn’t help it; I started laughing. It was good to be back in the saddle with my conniving old partner. The laughter helped to lighten a heavy load.